Lessons scrapped for day of determination at Hinchingbrooke School

Personal Development Days at Hinchingbrooke School , (l-r) Ellis Sullivan, Ella Pengelly and Charlie Lee

Lessons at Hinchingbrooke School were swapped for soakings, slides and laser shooting in a day ­dedicated to building pupils’ determination.

Thursday September 26 was the first of four days in the year when the usual timetable is suspended.

Activities based on the theme of “determination” were held to teach pupils skills such as resilience, teamwork and creative thinking to help with their studies and when they leave school to continue their education or find work.

Each year group did something different, based on scenarios, such as Year 9’s “Operation Zombie Nation”, which involved working together to resolve a crisis.

The day included climbing, tug of war, building a Lego town, archery, human chess, human battleships and martial arts, as well as an assault course.

Sixth formers helped to run the events, with some dressed as superheroes.

The school’s communication manager Sheila Wotherspoon said the day had been designed to be a landmark moment in the educational lives of the pupils, to build their skills and help them become more determined in and out of school.